tiger_spot

Remember what I said about the rats being okay with taking their medication in the nuclear weapon of rat bribery, condensed milk?

They changed their minds.

The first couple of doses were okay, and then we had the following exchange:

Echo: ::lap lap lap lap lap::
Echo: "Okay, I'm done now!"
me: ::looks at spoon:: "You haven't even eaten half of this."
me: ::retrieves rat:: ::presents spoon again::
Echo: "No, thanks, I've had plenty!" ::begins to leave::
me: ::retrieves rat:: ::presents spoon::
Echo (louder): "NO, REALLY, I'M DONE. I'm going to go do IMPORTANT RAT THINGS now."
me: ::presents spoon::
Echo: "DONE! FINISHED! NO MORE!"
me: ::retrieves rat:: "Dammit, finish the stupid pink stuff. It tastes good. You liked it yesterday."
Echo: "I'm not drinking that and you can't make me."

So it's back to the syringes (Calliope had a similar issue with the next dose). Fortunately, they're only on the pink stuff for another two days, and the Baytril's not much of a problem.

I suspect this may be andres_s_p_b's fault. He worries about the effect of the condensed milk on their teeth, so he tries to use as little as possible, and I think that might have twigged them to the fact that it's got medication in, so now even when the ratio's better they still won't take it because they are stubborn opinionated little balls of fur.


In other news, I repotted the Christmas tree and bought a new tomato plant. Also, I discovered that the mint, which I thought was dead all winter, had instead been (1) growing into the larger pot it was sitting on top of and filling it entirely with roots and (2) harboring terrorists insects. It has now been removed, to the extent that such was possible, and I used that pot with what remained of the dirt for the Christmas tree instead of the new tomato, on the theory that mint-eating bugs are a lot less likely to eat a pine tree than a tomato.

Ordinarily, I find that sort of persistence endearing in a plant, but it turns out there's actually very little I use mint for. Once I've made a batch or two of tabouli and tossed a few sprigs in iced tea, that's kind of it, but the mint just keeps growing. So this year I think basil and parsley, or maybe rosemary, but no more mint.